There are many different types of swimming pools that
one can choose from, and one of those is to go with the fiberglass swimming
pool. Fiberglass pools are manufactured (and installed) as large molded
structures that are then placed in the ground. The large "bucket" is
then surrounded by a strong reinforcement, like the more conventional concrete,
which will then help it keep its place.

Fiberglass swimming pools don't have a liner because
the shell is sprayed with a specially designed coating. A wide range of models
with different sizes, colors and shapes are available in pools made out of
fiberglass, and allow the type of variety that many consumers love. One of the
great benefits that is credited to fiberglass pools is that that are very easy
and quick to install, even with the need for heavy equipment. Maintenance is
also a relatively simple process, since there will never be a liner
replacement, and in general, fiberglass swimming pools will need fewer
chemicals to keep clean than other models.

While fiberglass swimming pools require less
maintenance, they do require certain maintenance to ensure that they are not
damaged or in need of greater repairs and upkeep down the line. Unlike other
swimming pools, fiberglass swimming pools MUST be filled with water at all
times to avoid causing structural damage through cracking or buckling. This is
due to ground pressure that occurs because of improper drainage. If for some
reason the pool absolutely needs to be drained, do not do it on your own! Make
absolutely sure to contact the pool manufacturer and qualified professionals.
You don't want to damage such a large investment!

Other factors to keep in mind is to avoid the
"bathtub ring" effect of grime. Not only does this look bad, but this
could damage the coatings. Most pool supply stores should sell pool tile
cleaner that can take care of that in a jiffy. As an important side note, never
use abrasive cleaners or harsh tools like steel wool or metal scrapers to clean
fiberglass. This type of treatment will permanently damage the gel coating in
the pool.

While the fiberglass pool may seem to develop hairline
cracks over time, this is not a major concern since this is only indicative of
the surface gel, and not actual structural damage. Dirt is always a concern,
and should be brushed towards the main drain and the vacuumed out with the
appropriate tool.

The fiberglass swimming pool has its advantages and
disadvantages like many other swimming pools. For some this may not be a good
choice, while for others the fiberglass swimming pool may be exactly what they
have been looking for.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Swimming pools can be such a joy in the summer. You can
tan, exercise, hang out, and just relax around the water. Some people choose to
build a personal pool at home for these reasons. Others opt for the community
pool instead. Either way, swimming pools are actually ripe with danger to you
and those you love. However, it is not always clear as to who is liable for
those accidents. This article will look at some hazards around the pool and who
might be responsible for the tragedies that can arise.

There are a number of things that can happen in the
water or poolside, including drowning or near-drowning, slips and falls,
disembowelment, diving board injuries, and others. There are also a variety of
people who can be held liable for accidents that happen around a pool,
including the injured himself, a caregiver or parent, the owner of the pool,
the construction company who built the pool, etc. Depending on what the actual
accident entailed, there might be no one held liable or up to several people
held responsible for the accident.

According to premises liability laws, the owner of a
pool, whether it is a personal pool or that of a neighborhood, hotel, gym,
etc., is in charge of maintaining the health and safety standards at a pool.
This includes making sure that everything is working properly, the chemicals are
properly balanced, nothing is broken or rusty, and other issues. However, an
owner of a pool may not know if the company who built the pool did not properly
grade a deck, leading to water buildup and an extra slippery surface.

Someone who is invited or licensed to be at a pool
should expect the pool to be safe. If one of these guests is injured, they are
less likely to be held liable for their own accident than a trespasser. If
someone breaks into a pool uninvited and sustains an injury, they may not get
any financial compensation for an injury. For instance, a homeowner may lock up
his own pool because it is in the process of draining. If a person breaks into
the pool and decides to trespass and swim, they can get disemboweled by the
drain. However, the homeowner had the pool closed up expressly for protecting
people from the drain.

Of course, a swimming pool owner is supposed to
properly maintain his or her drain. If it is not covered or is turned up too
strong when guests come over, the owner may be held liable if someone gets
injured due to its suction. At community pools, improperly trained lifeguards
and broken things in or around the pool can cause harm to someone, and they are
usually the responsibility of the homeowners association or whoever owns the
community pool.

When going swimming, either at your own pool, that of
a friend, or at the neighborhood spot, the best idea is to be smart about your
fun. If you are bringing young children to the swim, be sure to keep a close
eye on them to help keep the safe.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a
swimming pool accident, the owner or builder may be held liable for the
damages. For more information on swimming pool dangers and other topics in
personal injury, check out Vic Feazell, an Austin expert personal injury
lawyer.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Michael Phelps, Ian Thorpe (the Thorpedo), and Ryan
Lockte have been inspiring children and adults alike in the world of swimming.
Ian Thorpe's impressive Olympics career lead to him being remembered and his
swimming style being compared to Michael Phelps and everyone knows how well
Phelps did in Athens and Beijing. The fact that Phelps won nearly every race in
Beijing is proof that training hard and practice can open the doors to whatever
dreams one wants to chase.

In the swimming world, there are many safety issues to
consider. How well of a swimmer is the person? How long have they been
swimming? Can they hold their breath and swim at the same time? How comfortable
do they feel in the water? If the person in question is uncomfortable in the
water without someone else being there to help them or a floatation device,
they should not be in competition until they do gain more confidence or more
talent in swimming.

For the more advanced swimmer, there are several
different strokes one can utilize while swimming for pleasure or competition.
The stroke that is considered the hardest is the butterfly stroke. This is
considered the hardest because it combines a dolphin kick with a windmill arm
movement which begins at the stomach, goes over the head, and ends at the
stomach. It is difficult because these two movements much be timed perfectly to
get the maximum propulsion and the fastest result. The breaststroke is another
hard stroke that swimmers may choose to do. Like the butterfly stroke, this
stroke combines two different movements between the arms and legs. It utilizes a
frog kick and a movement with the hands that begins at the breastbone, reaches
out straight in front of the swimmer, and pulls the water back behind the
swimmer. This arm movement is used once for every two frog kicks that the
swimmer produces.

Freestyle is an easy stroke because it is a flutter
kick combined with an over the head movement while the swimmer is face down the
in the water. The backstroke is the same technique, except the swimmer is
facing up, looking at the ceiling, instead of face down in the water. There are
other strokes, like the dog paddle, the trudgen, the sidestroke, and the crawl,
but these are rarely seen in competition, so they are not taught as frequently
as the other strokes.

In terms of competition, the 2008 Olympics had 17
events in which swimmers competed. The freestyle swim consisted of the 50
meter, 100 meter, 200 meter, 400 meter, and 800 meter for women or the 1500
meter for men. Several of these races were won by Michael Phelps and many world
records were shattered by various swimmers. The backstroke competition was the
100 meter and the 200 meter. The butterfly races consisted of the 100 meter and
the 200 meter. The breaststroke competition held the same races. There were two
individual races of 200 meters and 400 meters, in which the swimmer would
alternate between the strokes, using all four as dictated. There were 3 relay
races, which went 100 meters, 200 meters, and there was a 100 meter medley. The
last race was a marathon race with was 10 kilometers long.

Ethan has been an online writer for nearly 2 years
now. Not only does this author specialize in sports, finance, and product
reviews, you can also check out his latest website on Acqua
Di Gio which reviews and lists the best Acqua
Di Gio for a designer cologne scent.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Make a splash this summer by enhancing your in-ground
swimming pool with a super-fun pool slide. In-ground swimming pool slides
provide an easy way to bring the thrills and excitement of a water park right
to your very own backyard so you can make the most of your pool all season
long. With rushing water and twists and turns, swimming pool slides offer great
fun for the entire family. With a wide variety of styles and designs to choose
from, you can easily find a pool slide that will provide the exact type of
sliding excitement that you're looking for. Simply by adding a slide to your
in-ground swimming pool, you can make your pool the most popular one in the
neighborhood and can enjoy endless hours of sliding fun with friends and
family.

When you're looking for the perfect slide for your in-ground
swimming pool, you will have many different options to weigh and consider.
There are numerous different models of in-ground swimming pool solutions that
have been designed and constructed by many different manufacturers. One of the
main variables between these different models is the slide height. Pool slides
for in-ground swimming pools are available in many different heights, with the
majority of products standing somewhere between three feet high and eight feet
high. The height that you choose will typically depend upon the age of your
swimmers and the speed of sliding that you want your swimmers to enjoy. Once
you know the approximate height you want, you will have narrowed down your
options, making your ultimate choice easier.

The second main way that various models of in-ground
pool slides differ from each other is in the shape and design of the actual
slide component. The standard shape of in-ground swimming pool slide features a
gentle curve, sometimes with a slight twist at the top or bottom. However,
there are also in-ground swimming pool products available with more twists and
turns and with 360 degree corkscrew designs. When combined with a fast water
delivery system, such as the Zoom Flume water delivery system which provides
water flow at 35 gallons per minute, these pool slides can truly mimic the
speed and thrills of water park fun.

The various available models of pool slides for
in-ground swimming pools also provide you with the option of choosing between
built-in swimming pool and inflatable pool slides. If you want your new slide
to be a permanent fixture of your swimming pool, investing in a built in slide
is the way to go. On the other hand, if you're looking for a less permanent or
simply a more economical option, inflatable swimming pool solutions provide an
excellent way to add some water slide fun to your pool without any installation
and without the higher cost of built-in pool slides for in-ground swimming
pools.

Inflatable pool slides are also one of the best
options for young swimmers. These pool accessories typically only stand two or
three feet above the pool deck, the perfect height for young children.
Inflatable swimming pool slides typically use a standard garden hose to provide
the water flow and are constructed from durable vinyl so they can withstand
energetic play season after season.

If you have young swimmers in your family but would
like to install a built-in slide, there are also permanent in-ground pool
slides that are ideal for such circumstances. For example, some pool slides for
in-ground swimming pools stand only three or four feet off the ground and
feature a gently curving slide with high sides for extra safety. Some specific
slides that meet these criteria include the Cyclone Fun Pool Slide and the
Zoomerang Pool Slide. These pool slides will allow your youngsters to enjoy the
thrills of fast sliding action at a level that is fully safe and appropriate
for them.

With so many different types and styles of swimming
pool slides available for in-ground pools, you will have a great selection of
top quality choices. Whether you're looking for a standard design, a thrilling
corkscrew design or a slide that is ideal for youngsters, you can find exactly
the right slide for you and your pool. Perhaps best of all, the many different
models of in-ground swimming pool slides cover a range of different prices,
allowing pool owners with many different budgets to be able to enjoy the
excitement and adventure of swimming and sliding. So no matter what your budget
and preferences might be, forget long lines and entry fees this summer.
Instead, bring the spirited fun and excitement of a water park right to your
home with a swimming pool slide and make a splash with your entire family and
your entire neighborhood.

Michael Peterson is an experienced specialist in
pool accessories and products. He shows how swimming pool slides for inground
pools could provide endless hours of sliding fun with friends and family.
Learn about different types and models of pool slides to make a right choice
for your swimming pool. http://www.intheswim.com

Thursday, November 21, 2013

The first thing you need to consider when designing
your pool is its intended use. Do you want to swim laps, do physical therapy,
exercise, entertain guests, let the kids have some fun, or impress your
neighbors? After all, you want to get a pool for a reason or a multitude of
reasons to enhance your life. A pool's intended use has arguably the greatest
impact on the way it should be designed, and therefore, the needs and wants
your swimming pool is intended to fulfill should be identified very early in
the design process. It is also useful to recognize the pool's primary functions
to help you narrow down your design choices. In the following sections we'll go
over some of the most popular benefits people get from owning a pool, and how
these impact the swimming pool's design.

Fun and Leisure:

The most frequent motive for obtaining a swimming pool
is for family fun and leisure. A backyard pool is a great place to cool off
during the summer, have fun with the kids and throw some inflatable toys
around. If this is your only reason for wanting a pool, then the simplest,
least expensive swimming pool designs will suffice. If your budget is large,
then you may want to invest in some luxury, but otherwise an above-ground pool
or a shallow in-ground pool would be enough to meet your needs. A pool that's
at a constant depth of 4 feet is sufficiently deep to splash around and swim
the occasional lap in, but also shallow enough to provide safety for the whole
family.

Exercise:

If you want to use your pool for some serious exercise,
then the dimensions of your pool require more critical consideration. For lap
swimming, a pool at least 25 feet long and 3.5 feet deep is recommended, with
typical lengths ranging form 25 to 40 feet. There are also dedicated lap pools
that are relatively very narrow, and therefore fit in constrained spaces. Water
aerobics require some more depth to avoid touching bottom. Typically a section
of the pool that's 5 to 6 feet deep is enough for this purpose.

Another option for swimmers is the swim spa, which is
a small pool, usually no more than about 12 feet in length that can generate a
strong current to swim against. One can then swim against the current while
remaining in place. Their small size also makes the installation of indoor swim
spas a very viable option in many cases.

Parties and Entertaining Guests:

If pool parties are in your future you may have a few
other design issues to think about. These largely involve the landscaping and
design of the area surrounding the pool. You may want to surround the pool with
a patio or a deck, add a pool house, a gazebo, an outdoor bar, furniture, etc.
In addition, you may want the pool itself to be designed for looks, with a
stylish shape, rather than just for functionality. Carefully hiding pool
equipment will also make the pool area more appealing.

Relaxation:

Spending time at your pool can be very relaxing, and
the proper amenities will make it even more enjoyable. An addition of a spa or
a hot tub to the pool area is a great complement to the swimming pool itself.
Like pools, these come in the in-ground, and portable, above-ground varieties.
An in-ground spa is typically connected to the pool's filtration and heating
systems. And if that's not the case, a portable spa is a much more economical
option.

If you're going to spend time pool-side sunbathing, be
sure to leave the space for it. And if you opt for the above-ground pool
variety, the addition of a sizable pool level deck makes great sense.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Anthony is the Founder and CEO of Cool Pools based in Virginia. As the CEO,
Anthony primarily runs the daily operations and oversees the installation ...

The wheel hasn't been redesigned or reinvented here
but it does help when you have someone on your side to help you do it yourself
when it comes to swimming pools. First things first, do your research on what's
the best Fiberglass Swimming Pool for you and your family. Then determine if
you can find that pool at a factory as close to you as possible (drop yards
don't count / read why in previous articles).

Okay, so you've done some homework by now. Hopefully
you have determined what you want to buy and whether or not your local
permitting office will allow that swimming pool to be installed at your
particular residence. Now what? Some factories say they
will sell factory direct but ultimately want to see you hire a
professional swimming pool contractor to have the shell installed. As you
can expect, the factory has a list of those professionals they want you to use
within arm's reach. Keep in mind that many factories won't honor their own
warranty if you truly Do-It-Yourself, so consider the alternatives before
moving forward.

You have to know quite a bit when it
comes to installing a fiberglass swimming pool. There are a lot of tricks that
are hard to describe and quite frankly I don't know if I've ever seen them
online either written or photographed. You certainly need to have the
confidence to perform this task on your own or at least have the gumption to
know who to turn to when you need something. Here are a few examples of
sub-contractors and suppliers typically used in a fiberglass swimming pool
installation:

Excavator / preferably one with his own dump
trucks to haul away your extra dirt.

Sand or stone yards for floor preparation

Crane or boom truck to hoist the pool into
position. Need 10,000# straps and chains + spreader bars if your swimming
pool is more than 14' wide.

Electrician familiar with pool bonding. Check
with your permit office and check up on your local requirements
thoroughly.

Bob Cat or what I call a skid steer to help you
back fill your Over Dig.

Cement contractor / preferably one that is
experienced with swimming pools. They have the most experience in pouring
cantilevers and knowing how far back your hand rail or ladder anchors need
to be installed.

Landscaper to perform final grade if needed. They
usually have a Harley Rake which will do the best job.

Last but not least, the fence contractor.
FENCES ARE MADE TO KEEP YOUR POOL SAFE! Not to annoy you, but do not try
to skimp on safety when it comes to your new swimming pool.

Now if you
know who's who in the contracting world and all of the above mentioned sounds
like perfectly clear English to you then you shouldn't have a problem moving
forward with a little bit of guidance. But where are you going to obtain this
guidance? Most swimming pool contractors aren't set up for Factory Direct
Programs nor do they want you to do it yourself, that's what they are in
business for. But if you look hard, there are a few and this is where we come
in to play. With a properly placed factory direct program you can cut the
middle man out of everything. If you play your cards right you can even
purchase your swimming pool equipment at wholesale.

Factory Direct Fiberglass Swimming Pools are the best of the
best in our opinion. They are the "Having Your Cake and Eating It
To" of swimming pools and we at Cool Pools strive to deliver the very
best. Whether you want your swimming pool professionally installed or would
like to take the Factory Direct Swimming Pool challenge, Cool Pools is here
to help. Learn how you can purchase your swimming pool factory direct by
clicking the link above. When contacting us, don't forget to ask how you can
obtain your pool equipment at wholesale pricing.

Cool Pools Inc. is a Virginia based premier in ground
swimming pool construction company. Over the years Cool Pools has constructed
and installed fiberglass and vinyl liner swimming pools with an emphasis on
one piece fiberglass swimming pools manufactured by Blue Hawaiian Fiberglass
Swimming Pools. Our product line has offered our clients the best product for
their money along with some of the finest customer support. In late 2008,
Cool Pools stretched its construction division to cover parts of north east
North Carolina and western Virginia. With the accessibility to one of the
nations leading fiberglass swimming pool lines, we have found our five day
construction process attracting clients from all across the country.

If you have more questions about this article or
swimming pools in general, please feel free to contact us at Cool Pools.

Thursday, October 31, 2013

There are plenty of swimming pool accessories that you
can find to make you and your family have even more fun in the pool. Swimming
around is fun enough, but sometimes you want something else to do in the water.
Not only that, but there are just some things that you expect to see in a pool.
Why just use your pool to swim? You have something close to a whole slew of
activities to do right in your own backyard pool.

Some swimming pool accessories are extremely in
common. For example, goggles and snorkels, lounging floats, floating tubes, and
water noodles are all common. Almost every pool in the country has one or two
of these items regularly used in it. If you do not have any of these items, you
may want to consider purchasing one or two to make the swimming pool experience
more fun for you and your family.

However, there are some swimming pool accessories that
are less common. Pool games for example are not very common, but they are
extremely fun and everybody has a blast with them. Also, if you have pets enjoy
swimming, you can get grants for your pets the Internet of your pool easily.
This can be great if you have a dog who just loves to swim but has difficulty
entering and exiting the pool. This also be great if your dog is quite heavy,
especially when wet.

If you have quite a few water noodles, you could get a
noodle organizer. These are simply circular or square shaped bins sustain your
noodles upright. If you have a lot of children, and hence a lot of noodles,
this is a good accessory for you to add to your pool set up. Also, if your
children like to dive underwater but have I paid for hours after diving under
the chlorine filled water, but a pair of goggles would be perfect for them to
have. This way, they can still see underwater and play any games the maybe had,
but they do not have to deal with the pain that would otherwise last for hours
after they got out of the pool.

Consider what you in your family to do in your
swimming pool and choose accessories accordingly. If something feels lacking,
they can probably find an accessory relatively affordably. Most pool
accessories are inexpensive and easy to set up or use. Swimming is always fun,
but having other things to do in your pool is even better. Swimming pool
accessories can make time in the water even more fun for you, your children,
and anyone else that happens to swim in your pool. Why just swim when can do so
much else?

Swimming is always a fun activity, but if you have a
pool in your backyard there is so much more you can do than just swim.
Getting some fun swimming pool accessories
can make your fun in the sun all that much more enjoyable.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Since when swimming pools started being used is
subject to doubt. Some think it is the Greeks who started using swimming pools
and spas, while some think that the concept of swimming pools were first
conceived by aboriginals far before the Greeks. Today, it doesn't matter when
swimming pools started becoming popular, what matters are that swimming pools
have now become an indispensable part of our lives.

Swimming pools have modified over the years. Today,
there are simple swimming pools, above the ground swimming pools, designer in
ground swimming pools, spas, and more to come. Interestingly, all are popular
across the world for their own reasons. The obvious question that arises is,
how beneficial is swimming pools in human lives? The one and only answer to
this question is, plenty. The most obvious benefits of swimming pools and spas
are relaxation. Nothing can be more fun, relaxing, and easy mode of exercising
as a swimming pool or spa.

The variations in swimming pools have added to its
popularity. Earlier people had to manage a time to go to a community swimming
pool, however today there are private swimming pools that come in the form of
in-ground swimming pools, above ground swimming pools, spas with sizes and
shapes to accommodate a single person, as well as a family.

Extensive studies are still being carried out to
evaluate greater health benefits of swimming pools and spas. Relaxation,
physical exercise, etc are something which was first to be proved. Further,
when hydrotherapy came into light, swimming pools became the sole contender for
the benefits. The health benefits of swimming pools cannot be ignored at all.

Today, doctors are advising people with various other
medical conditions can like arthritis, asthma, obesity, etc to spend some time
in swimming pools and spas to get rid of their conditions without having to
rely on medicines. Today, experts are evaluating the endless benefits of
swimming pools, which truly are endless... in fact, it is no longer a doubt
that swimming pools are here to stay.